damn good chicken pot pie

we just finished eating some of the best chicken pot pie i've ever had or made. (my arm is going to be tired tomorrow from patting myself on my back so much ;)

the crust was *yummy*: flaky and buttery tasting of rosemary and thyme; the filling was just right: the vegetables were tender yet crisp and the sauce was creamy yet light. together, they formed the perfect amount of rich tastiness. actually, i don't really want to use the word "rich" to describe this dish, as it makes it sound like it was heavy. not at all. the best way to describe it is "wholesome deliciousness."

this is an awesome way to use leftover chicken (in this case, i used the stewing chicken from marin sun farms that i slow-cooked on saturday). i also used claravale farm raw whole milk and straus family creamery organic half & half and butter. i'll be making this dish many times in the future! (guess what i'm going to have for lunch tomorrow! i'm so excited.) recipe is below. enjoy!


Chicken Pot Pie with Flaky Herb Crust
Filling
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large celery stalk, cut lengthwise and then chopped coarsely
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 small onion, quartered and sliced finely
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper (I like to use rainbow peppercorns)
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (frozen works fine, also, no need to thaw)
1/4 cup fresh peas (frozen works fine, also, no need to thaw)
2 cups diced cooked chicken

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup half & half
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt (or to taste)

Pie Crust
3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
4 tbsp unsalted butter
3-4 tbsp ice water

Preheat oven to 400 deg.

Filling:
Place peas, corn, chicken into a medium mixing bowl. Melt 2 tbps of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrots, and onions and saute until onions start to soften and celery turns bright green (~5 minutes). Remove from heat and place into bowl with peas, corn, and chicken; add salt and pepper and stir until well combined.

Melt remaining 2 tbsp butter in same saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour all at once and stir quickly with wooden spoon. Continue cooking for a minute. Reduce heat to medium, add broth, milk, half & half, and thyme. Bring to a boil, while whisking to break up any clumps. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce becomes thickened, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and whisk in salt. Pour sauce over vegetables and meat in bowl and mix to combine. Taste to see if needs more salt and pepper and add if necessary. Pour into an 8" square baking pan.

Crust:
Combine flour, salt, pepper, and herbs in a small bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until crumbly. Add ice water and mix with a fork until dough just begins to hold together (you may not need all the water). Gather the dough into a ball, place on a well-floured surface and roll out to a little bit larger than an 8" square.

Top filling in pan with crust. Fold down edges inward to fit crust inside pan. Pierce with a fork in a few places to allow steam to escape. Bake in oven for 40-45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Cut into quarters, spoon filling from underneath crust into bowls and top with crust. Serves 4.